I’d been reading about small-batch producers of tonic concentrate and I wanted to try one so I ordered this bottle from Jack Rudy Cocktail Co. The bottle gives the recipe for a Gin & Tonic: 2 oz. gin, .75 oz. tonic concentrate, 4 oz. sparkling water, ice. Of course, I had to add a lime, but I really don’t like ice so this is my personal version. You make yours!

First, I loved the taste of this. The tonic is only the pure ingredients of quinine, water, citric acid, sugar, lemongrass and orange peel. It tasted so fresh and clean.

I don’t want High Fructose Corn Syrup, preservatives or “natural flavors” which are all chemical. And I would never consume the “diet” version containing the poison NutraSweet. I’ve been buying Fever-Tree Premium Indian Tonic Water which was better, but still contained “Natural Flavours” which, of course, are anything but natural. And the cost of the little 6.8 oz. bottles is just ridiculously high.

This Jack Rudy concentrate ends up being rather economical even when factoring in the cost of sparkling water at about $1 per serving. I like that I’m not hauling home a lot of little bottles, I loved the flavor, and the cost was reasonable considering the quality of the pure ingredients. One note about cost: I ordered directly from the company which made it about half the cost of other online sellers. Sometimes going to the source is the best. Please note, I have no affiliation with Jack Rudy Cocktail Co. or any other small-batch tonic producer.